A 91-year-old rabbi, considered a pillar of his community, was found dead in Jersey City Thursday.
Police found Zev Segal's car in the Hackensack River with his body inside. The nonagenarian went missing a day earlier.
Investigators say preliminary findings point to an accidental death. Foul play is not being suspected at this time, and authorities believe weather conditions combined with the time of day may have caused the accident.
Segal was last seen giving a radio interview at WFMU Wednesday. He had a scheduled appointment in Livingston afterward, but never showed.
Friends and volunteers searched for the rabbi throughout the evening after his disappearance. They described Segal as a man who acted far younger than his years.
According to friends, Segal had provided religious guidance at his Newark temple for more than 50 years.